This invention relates to a method and apparatus for crushing vertically stacked cans and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for crushing vertically stacked cans having their longitudinal axes substantially vertical through applying forces substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each can.
It has previously been suggested to crush cans, particularly elongated aluminum cans used for soft drinks, to reduce their size so that the cans can be easily recycled without utilizing a tremendous volume of space for storage and transportation to a recycling center.
One previous suggestion has been to crush the can along its longitudinal axis. However, this requires a significant force. It also does not permit any vertical stacking of the cans so that crushing a plurality of cans is time consuming.
Another prior suggested apparatus has used a complex mechanical apparatus in which the crushing force is applied by an electric motor. While this apparatus has enabled the cans to be vertically stacked, it is relatively expensive and not financially practical for most individuals to purchase for home use in particular.
The can crusher of the present invention has the cans vertically stacked on top of each other but does not require a complex mechanism or an electric motor for applying the force to crush the can. Instead, the can crusher has the cans disposed in a vertically stacked relation and initially folds the lowermost can about an axis substantially perpendicular to its substantially vertical longitudinal axis at a first vertical position.
Then, the folded can falls to a second and lower vertical position where it is flattened through a force being applied substantially perpendicular to its substantially vertical longitudinal axis. At the same time that the lowermost can, which is now folded, is being flattened, the next of the vertically stacked cans is folded at the first vertical position.
Accordingly, the can crusher is capable of crushing a relatively large number of cans in a relatively short period of time with a relatively small applying force required by a user. The can crusher is relatively inexpensive so that it may be easily purchased by an individual seeking to recycle cans.
This invention relates to a method of crushing a plurality of vertically disposed cans vertically stacked on each other in which each can has its longitudinal axis substantially vertical. The method comprises holding the lowermost of the vertically stacked cans at a first vertical position with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and applying a force to the can held at the first vertical position at its mid portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to fold the can about its mid portion on an axis substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The folded can moves from the first vertical position to a second vertical position lower than the first vertical position after the applied force is removed while the can vertically above the folded can moves to the first vertical position with the folded can held at the second vertical position and the can vertically above the folded can held at the first vertical position. A force is applied to the folded can at the second vertical position over its entire surface in the direction substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to flatten the folded can to reduce its thickness so that it is substantially flat and a force is applied to the can at the first vertical position at its mid portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to fold the can at the first vertical position about its mid portion on an axis substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis with the flattened can falling from the second vertical position after the applied force is removed therefrom.
This invention also relates to an apparatus for crushing a plurality of vertically disposed cans vertically stacked on each other in which each can has its longitudinal axis substantially vertical. The apparatus comprises a body having a substantially vertical passage for receiving a plurality of vertically stacked cans with each can having its longitudinal axis substantially vertical. The body has a first stop extending into the substantially vertical passage for a first predetermined distance to engage the lowermost of the vertically stacked cans at its bottom surface to stop its downward fall in the substantially vertical passage to hold the lowermost of the vertically stacked cans at a first vertical position. A movable force applying member is supported by the body for movement from its home position into the substantially vertical passage until at least one of the vertically stacked cans is engaged and for return from its can engaging position in the substantially vertical passage to its home position. The movable force applying member has a first portion for engaging the can at the first vertical position at its mid portion when the movable force applying member is moved from its home position sufficiently into the substantially vertical passage to apply a force to the mid portion of the can in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the can to fold the can about an axis substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis and reduce its thickness so that the folded can falls downwardly in the substantially vertical passage past the first stop when the movable force applying member is withdrawn from engagement with the folded can. The body has a second stop lower than the first stop with the second stop extending into the substantially vertical passage for a second predetermined distance greater than the first predetermined distance to stop the folded can at a second vertical position when the folded can falls downwardly in the substantially vertical passage past the first stop after the movable force applying member is withdrawn from engagement with the folded can. The first stop stops downward motion of the next can of the vertically stacked cans after the folded can is no longer at the first vertical position with the first stop holding the next can at the first vertical position. The movable force applying member has a second portion, lower than the first portion, for engaging the folded can over its entire surface at the second vertical position when the movable force applying member is moved from its home position sufficiently into the substantially vertical passage to apply a force to the folded can in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folded can to flatten the folded can to a thickness to enable the flattened can to fall past the second stop when the movable force applying member is removed from engagement with the flattened can during return to its home position with the second portion of the movable force applying member applying a force during the same movement of the movable force applying member as when the first portion of the movable force applying member applies a force to the next can at the first vertical position.